Vaccine Trials

[oldphd]

Moderna will win in the long term due to the easier storage requirement? Just a guess.

Short term, both will be distributed.

I was at the local Costco pharmacy yesterday to get my second shingrix shot (ouch, sore arm and achy overnight).

Pharmacist indicated they would not have the ability to store the lower temp requirement vaccine and planned to only have the higher temp. Said confidently, like it was already discussed, not off the cuff.

 

[ivinsfan]

I was at the local Costco pharmacy yesterday to get my second shingrix shot (ouch, sore arm and achy overnight).

Pharmacist indicated they would not have the ability to store the lower temp requirement vaccine and planned to only have the higher temp. Said confidently, like it was already discussed, not off the cuff.

I think Moderna is definitely going to the winner in ease of transport and holding at proper temp.

 

[REWahoo]

I saw an interview with some medical expert about the two vaccines and at the end of the conversation he was asked, "If you had your choice, which vaccine would you choose?" His answer "The one that was available."

 

[gerntz]

Pharmacist indicated they would not have the ability to store the lower temp requirement vaccine and planned to only have the higher temp. Said confidently, like it was already discussed, not off the cuff.

Which is why I expected that vaccination sites would be limited, at least initially, to the likes of hospitals, schools, government facilities, etc. That's how it was with polio shots & later sugar cubes in the 50's around me.

 

[RetireBy90]

I'm seeing there will be a geographic component as well...Moderna is easier to store and transport so most likely will be designed to more rural areas of the country.

DW heard a news clip saying Pfizer was going to start I. 4 or 5 states. I found this at

NEW YORK, 16 November 2020 — Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) today announced the U.S. COVID-19 Immunization Pilot Program with four states, to help refine the plan for the delivery and deployment of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate that is being co-developed with BioNTech.

To build on our coordination with the relevant U.S. agencies, Pfizer launched this pilot program to help better support the states’ planning, deployment, and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Learnings from this program will be adapted for usage across other states to help them create effective immunization programs for this vaccine. The four states – Rhode Island, Texas, New Mexico, and Tennessee – were selected for the program because of their differences in overall size, diversity of populations, and immunization infrastructure, as well as the states’ need to reach individuals in varied urban and rural settings. The four states included in this pilot program will not receive vaccine doses earlier than other states by virtue of this pilot, nor will they receive any differential consideration.

Not sure what the last sentence means, perhaps just closer monitoring and coordination ?

 

[Oilcan]

Had appointment with my doctor this morning for annual wellness exam. He said the vaccine will be available for my wife and I in February 2021. Both of us have underlying health conditions. Diabetes and others. Don't know if he really knows but he sounded pretty confident.

Also received email from VA this morning and sounds like their front line health care workers and veterans with health conditions will be first served. Also sounded like the VA may be among the first to receive the vaccine. They didn't actually say that but it was kind of implied.

Just wait and see but sounds better than a couple of weeks ago.

 

[gauss]

Had appointment with my doctor this morning for annual wellness exam. He said the vaccine will be available for my wife and I in February 2021. Both of us have underlying health conditions. Diabetes and others. Don't know if he really knows but he sounded pretty confident.

Also received email from VA this morning and sounds like their front line health care workers and veterans with health conditions will be first served. Also sounded like the VA may be among the first to receive the vaccine. They didn't actually say that but it was kind of implied.

Just wait and see but sounds better than a couple of weeks ago.

I guess the question that comes to mind for me is he referring to your ability to get the vaccine from anybody or just from him?

The reason this question comes to mind is that I have a good friend in her mid-50's that whenever the topic of Shingles vaccines comes up for discussion among us, her Doctor always declines to prescribe or administer the vaccine without an explanation. We all mention that she should get a second opinion on this.

Strange, eh?

-gauss

 

[audreyh1]

The reason this question comes to mind is that I have a good friend in her mid-50's that whenever the topic of Shingles vaccines comes up for discussion among us, her Doctor always declines to prescribe or administer the vaccine without an explanation. We all mention that she should get a second opinion on this.

Strange, eh?

-gauss

In TX you don’t need a doctor’s prescription to get a vaccination including the one for Shingles, you go to a pharmacy. If there are age restrictions or whatever, the pharmacist deals with it.

The doctor not explaining is unacceptable.

 

[pjigar]

Found this from the NIH;
After the second injection, the team evaluated how well the vaccine provoked an immune response against SARS-CoV-2.

I understand that this means they tested for antibodies. Both mRNA vaccine supposed to trigger COVID-19 protein generation followed by antibodies.

 

[MichaelB]

I saw an interview with some medical expert about the two vaccines and at the end of the conversation he was asked, "If you had your choice, which vaccine would you choose?" His answer "The one that was available."

+1 That’ll be my choice as well, as I doubt we consumers will have much choice.

It would be nice if the vaccine developers were to release some real data for peer review and publication that could be analyzed and scrutinized by doctors and researchers, not just financial analysts.

 

[RetireBy90]

More news this morning about AstraZeneca and Oxford vaccine. Results from phase 2 show safe and the same immune response across age groups.

• The study of 560 healthy adults, including 240 over the age of 70-years-old, found the vaccine to be safe and produced a similar immune response among people aged over 56-years-old and those aged between 18 and 55.
• British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, which is working in collaboration with the University of Oxford, has previously said interim data showed their experimental vaccine had produced an immune response in older and younger adults.
• The authors of the Oxford study said their results could be encouraging if the immune responses are found to be associated with protection against Covid-19 infection.
• The phase two trial did not assess vaccine efficacy, however, and phase three trials are ongoing to confirm this.

 

[Gumby]

In TX you don’t need a doctor to get a vaccination including the one for Shingles, you go to a pharmacy. If there are age restrictions or whatever, the pharmacist deals with it.

The doctor not explaining is unacceptable.

I got mine at CVS. No prescription required. The doctor had recommended that I get it, but he told me his practice does not administer that vaccine. They will do flu, but not shingles. May have something to do with the cost of vaccines purchased by them that go bad before they can all be administered, but I'm not sure.

 

[Oilcan]

I guess the question that comes to mind for me is he referring to your ability to get the vaccine from anybody or just from him?

The reason this question comes to mind is that I have a good friend in her mid-50's that whenever the topic of Shingles vaccines comes up for discussion among us, her Doctor always declines to prescribe or administer the vaccine without an explanation. We all mention that she should get a second opinion on this.

Strange, eh?

-gauss

He did say the clinic would not be administering the shots. Those would be from places like CVS as I understand it. Wish I would have asked him a few questions but he is like most doctors, 15 minutes and he's out of the room.

 

[Badger]

It would be nice if the vaccine developers were to release some real data for peer review and publication that could be analyzed and scrutinized by doctors and researchers, not just financial analysts.

This is a big concern I have always had with news reports. All too often news reports get the population all stirred up before all facts are clear. It is worse when the reports have to do with any kind of science. I bet there are tens of thousands of people now thinking that everyone will be getting a vaccine that will eliminate the virus by Christmas.


Cheers!

 

[gerntz]

In TX you don’t need a doctor’s prescription to get a vaccination including the one for Shingles, you go to a pharmacy. If there are age restrictions or whatever, the pharmacist deals with it.

The doctor not explaining is unacceptable.

Agree. Makes no snese.

 

[gerntz]

+1 That’ll be my choice as well, as I doubt we consumers will have much choice.

It would be nice if the vaccine developers were to release some real data for peer review and publication that could be analyzed and scrutinized by doctors and researchers, not just financial analysts.

The FDA is reviewing it. I think those folks are doctors & researchers vs. financial analysts, but perhaps I'm wrong.

 

[gerntz]

This is a big concern I have always had with news reports. All too often news reports get the population all stirred up before all facts are clear. It is worse when the reports have to do with any kind of science. I bet there are tens of thousands of people now thinking that everyone will be getting a vaccine that will eliminate the virus by Christmas.


Cheers!

I'd take that bet.

 

[Brat]

My brother on KaiserNW Medicare Advantage and uses the VA for some of his healthcare needs. He is generally healthy and in his mid-70s. It will be interesting to see which medical team contacts him first for the Covid19 vaccine.

 

[MichaelB]

An update on the Oxford / Astra Zeneca vaccine is also positive. BBC reports “ The Oxford coronavirus vaccine shows a strong immune response in adults in their 60s and 70s, raising hopes that it can protect age groups most at risk from the virus.” https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54993652

Refreshingly, the vaccine developers reported in The Lancet, a medical journal, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32466-1/fulltext

 

[kcowan]

Our government has 50 million doses, 30 supercold and 20 refrigerator. At 2 doses each, enough for 25 million Canadians. Because all health and pharma is provincial, I have no idea about distribution.

Hopefully politics will be kept out of it but I am not optimistic.

 

[brett]

Even though we are seniors we really do not think that we will get the vaccination until the Jan/Feb/March timeframe. No doubt healthcare/civil protection workers , and those who are health compromised in some fashion will be first.

 

[explanade]

I got my first shot of Shingrix earlier this month.

The Safeway pharmacy checked my insurance.

I actually wanted the pneumococcal vaccine. My doctor recommended I get both.

But the pharmacist told me that pneumococcal isn't covered by insurance until age 65 or if you have respiratory problems, in which case you'd need an Rx.

So I got the Shingrix and I would probably get the second shot sometime in mid January or later.

Get that out of the way before covid vaccine.

 

[MuirWannabe]

I got my first shot of Shingrix earlier this month.



The Safeway pharmacy checked my insurance.



I actually wanted the pneumococcal vaccine. My doctor recommended I get both.



But the pharmacist told me that pneumococcal isn't covered by insurance until age 65 or if you have respiratory problems, in which case you'd need an Rx.



So I got the Shingrix and I would probably get the second shot sometime in mid January or later.



Get that out of the way before covid vaccine.

Do you know the typical age when insurance (BCBS) starts covering the Shingrix shot?

 

[HenryD]

Do you know the typical age when insurance (BCBS) starts covering the Shingrix shot?

I am on UHC. My provider started recommending right as I turned 50, but I am not sure the insurance had an age cut off. I got the first shot last month at 51.

 

[SecondCor521]

Do you know the typical age when insurance (BCBS) starts covering the Shingrix shot?

It varies by insurer. My insurer (Idaho, not BCBS) covered 100% of both Shingrix shots at age 50, but I think that's uncommonly good. You'd have to call your own BCBS and ask to find out your coverage.